More than 2,000 Polish Jews interned in Italy as enemy aliens are faced with starvation unless relief from Jewish communities in neutral countries reaches them shortly.

The internees are held in various camps, the largest of which is situated at Ferramonti. They have no funds of their own and depend for subsistence on whatever they can get from the Italian authorities. This support is limited to eight liras a day for the head of a family and four liras for each additional member of the interned family.

In view of the fact that these grants from the Italian authorities are not sufficient to cover the cost of minimum food rations, the interned Jews are all undernourished and many of them are ill. Tuberculosis is especially prevalent. Up until recently Jewish communities in Italy supplied the internees with whatever food could be spared. At present, however, Italian Jews are themselves in a difficult position, since many of them were deported from their permanent residences after the Axis defeat in North Africa, as a “precaution” against Allied landings on Italian shores. Their situation has been aggravated by the order issued this week placing all Italian Jews under “total mobilization” for compulsory labor.